Sudanese government halts the printing presses

June 24th, 2011

Sudanese media faces heavy government intervention: this year has already seen the arrest of more than 30 journalists and a popular newspaper prevented from printing five times, reports Abdelgadir Mohamed Abdelgadir

(more…)

Syria: Three people shot dead during protests

April 13th, 2011

At least three protestors were shot dead and many more wounded during protests in the port city of Banias on Sunday (10 April). Human rights groups named Nizar Higazy, Muhammad al-Daygeh and Ayman Soliman as those who were killed. Anti-government protests erupted in Syria three weeks ago with demonstrators demanding sweeping political reforms from President Bashar al-Assad and his government.  

Sudan: Newspapers halt publication in protest at state censorship

April 13th, 2011

Two independent Sudanese newspapers, al-Maidan and Ajras al-Hurriya, are halting publication in protest at government censorship. Whilst Ajras has had its distribution blocked since Wednesday, al-Maidan has been barred from circulation three times already this month. The government has stepped up censorship in the wake of anti-government protests which started in January of this year.  

Sudan: “Cyber Jihadists” to crush online opponents

March 29th, 2011

The National Congress Party (NCP), which governs North Sudan, claims that its battalion of “cyber jihadists” are ready to “crush” all online dissidents. The warning came from the party’s vice-president in Khartoum State, Mandur Al-Mahdi, on Tuesday (March 22). He warned youth groups using social networks sites like Twitter and Facebook that they would be targeted by the NCP’s online defence operations.

Detention of journalists and death of student in Sudan protests

February 2nd, 2011

As protests against rising food and living costs continue in Khartoum, six journalists and two media staff have been detained by authorities and one student has died of injuries sustained during clash with police. Mohammed Abdulrahman of Ahlia University died in Omdurman hospital after being injured during student protests on 30 January. The detained journalists are Rashid Abd al- Wahab and Ali Ahmad haj al-Amin of Arjas al -Huriya, Sara Taj al-Sir of Al Sahafa, Ahmed Sir al-Khatam of the independent daily akhbar al-Youm, Fatima al-Ghazali of Al-Jarida.

Sudan: Opposition leader arrested

January 19th, 2011

Security officials arrested an Islamist opposition figure in his home in Khartoum on Monday. Hassan al-Turabi was taken into custody a day after he called for a “popular revolution” if the price increases on basic goods were not reversed. In an interview with AFP al-Turabi had said that similar developments to Tunisia could unfold in Sudan. He has been imprisoned and released several times since 2000 when he left Omar Hassan al-Bashir’s ruling party.

Sudan: Monte Carlo Arabic radio denied license

October 7th, 2010

The Sudanese Ministry of Information has refused to renew the license of Monte Carlo radio’s Arabic service, which broadcasts in Sudan from Paris. The radio station was told that certain laws and regulations prevent the license renewal from taking place.  Similarly vague reasons were given to the BBC, when the British broadcaster’s Arabic radio service was banned from Sudan a few weeks ago. The government has insisted that neither decision was political, but the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) drew attention to the popularity of both stations, leaving no real cause for discontinuing broadcasts.

Sudan: BBC radio suspended

August 10th, 2010

Reports from Khartoum state that the Sudanese government has  suspended BBC radio stations over alleged smuggling offences which included bringing satellite equipment into the country. The stations broadcast in Arabic to around four million people in the north of the country. Recently the government demanded that journalists in the country provide private information regarding political views, friends, addresses, bank details and floor plans of their houses. The deadline for the return of this information was August 5. Since then the government has announced that it’s official censorship of newspapers has ended, but despite this, some newspapers remain closed and intimidation continues.